FCC Withdraws Proposal For Inflight Cell Phone Use

The Federal Communications yesterday nixed the idea of allowing inflight cell phone use.

The proposal to allow it had raised a storm of protest, but FCC officials indicated their decision was mainly based on questions about how the cell phone ground network infrastructure would handle the influx of calls coming from the skies. Chairman Kevin Martin said such safety concerns as whether cell phone frequencies would jam navigation signal emissions helped drive the decision to keep the ban intact.

The Federal Aviation Administration had been exploring the idea despite written protests from thousands of flyers to the FCC protesting the nuisance inflight cell phone use could cause travelers. Both federal agencies must agree on new guidelines for onboard cell phone use.

The National Business Travel Association advocates the decision by FCC, as it seems to be a decision based on safety, said NBTA spokesperson Caleb Tiller.

The association also advocates such "quiet technology" alternatives that FCC is exploring as e-mail and text messaging, as long as they can be done safely.

"Safety is priority no. 1," Tiller said. "We are supportive of the FCC making that move if it is entirely based on safety. That is the decision that has to be made."